One of the best historical places in Istanbul is the Topkapi Palace. It acted as a fully functioning city for more than 50,000 people. As the ruling centre from which the Ottoman Empire operated, it is a sprawling mass of historical buildings such as kitchens, circumcision rooms, and the much talked about harem.
The layout is somehow ad-hoc due to extensions and remodelling over 400 years but within the walls, antique collections reflect life of the Ottoman sultans through their clothes, armoury, and jewellery while in the sacred relic room, the prize artefacts are from Muhammad.